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Jiang Cheng is confused. Which is putting it very lightly. His brother was never one to offer comfort to someone crying like that. He would try to joke and generally be an asshole because that’s all he knows about comforting people. It works, but no one will tell him that. So Jiang Cheng is confused when his brother pats the Jades’ back.
Lan Wangji finally separates himself, barely enough to look at the one he was holding.
‘Alive. Alive, Alive’
The word sings in his mind, and he lets the tears fall, no energy left to do otherwise. Physical pain he was used to dealing with. But when your heart feels like it’s being ripped out, even Lan Wangji is helpless.
He cups his beloveds’ face in his hands, marveling. Silver eyes flashing with emotions holds his gaze as he observes the treasure he thought he’d lost. He didn’t notice that he’d been calling out his beloved’s name like a prayer, until his god replied to him;
“I’m here Lan Zhan”
It takes him another minute to calm down at the revelation that his beloved was alive, not dying, and that there were no immediate threats around them to him. Then anger envelopes him, hot and burning,
“What were you thinking?!”
If his voice was not so hoarse, it would’ve been a scream. It came out raspy, and hissed through his breath.
Wei Ying flinches, but Lan Wangji is angry.
“How could you!”
“I- I’m sorry, I- I-“
“Sorry?! What were you thinking?”
At this Wei Ying snaps back at him.
“What were you thinking?! You can’t do this! You did the same thing! And- I- was trying something! You- you just!!”
“Trying something?! With your life?!”
“So What?!!” Wei Ying snaps “It’s my life! Nobody cares anyway!”
Lan Wangji deflates. “Nobody?” The tears pooling around his eyes were threatening to spill.
“Well, it seems not but I- I- I thought you hated me!”
Lan Wangji deflates further.
“Do I hate you Wei Ying?”
“No! I mean, I see that now, but I- “He pauses “Why did you do that?” his voice is barely above a whisper.
Lan Wangji feels tired, he feels like he’s about to collapse. So he leans forward, letting his forehead, forehead ribbon and all, rest on Wei Yings’ forehead.
“Why do you think Wei Ying?”
“I- I don’t know”
Lan Wangji feels irritated. Today was just too much, he feels loose, tired. He lets his words flow, disciple and rules to be damned.
“Wei Ying, You’re my soulmate. Where you go, I follow”
He finally feels relaxed, letting his feelings lay out there made him feel better.
Then It was Wei Wuxians’ turn to turn into a sobbing mess.
“I- I’m- I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry” he repeated over and over, in between his sobbing, and tears that were running amok.
“I- I couldn’t live like that anymore Lan Zhan, I couldn’t! I really couldn’t do it anymore! Everyone-, everything -”
He calmed down when Lan Zhan started to pat his back, clearly an imitation of what he was doing earlier.
Jiang Cheng was done. He felt a bit faint. Even his sister was looking shocked and confused. The disciples who had pointed their swords at the- the- couple had dropped their jaws to the floor along with their swords. Their conversation made no sense, His brother was stuttering, the Jade was crying and hissing, and Jiang Cheng wanted nothing more than to wake up or see if the sun had decided to choose today to rise from the west. But oh, neither seemed close to the truth!
Jiang Yanli gently prodded at her brother. “A-Xian?” Tone, gentle and comforting, but questioning nonetheless.
It was then that Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji seemed to realized that they have an audience. They separated from each other with a jump, but remained close.
“Uh- Shijie I- I-“
“Maiden Jiang, please give us a moment, we will explain”
“We?” Wei Yings’ head snapped back to look at the Jade “If you mean to lock me in Cloud Recess- “
“Wei Ying! That was never my intention! I intended to protect you, as I still do. I didn’t understand what your freedom meant to you, so this time, this time let me follow you. I- I can’t lose you”
Wei Ying gaped at him. Lan Wangji remembered a memory he would call fond, if he wasn’t so confused about his emotions back then. He smiled.
“You told me once that you would latch on and be as hard as to get rid of as a roach.”
Jiang Cheng cringed a bit. ‘yeah’ he thought ‘that sounds like something Wei Wuxian would say’
“Watch me” Lan Wangji finished his little speech.
Wei Wuxian glanced at the man he thought he’d knew. Even if he understood that it was probably his own fault that the man had been traumatized into talking so much, Wei Ying could not help but marvel. He also felt that a smiling Lan Zhan was very unfair. The smile was gone as fast as it came, but it lingered in his mind, filtering itself over everything important clouding his mind. But still teasing Lan Zhan came first.
“Lan Zhan? Lan Er-Gege? Did you just compare yourself to a roach?”
Lan Zhan huffed and looked over to him with exasperated but fond eyes. Wei Ying wondered how he didn’t notice before.
His hand unconsciously tugged onto the white clothed man’s sleeve.
“I’m tired” Wei Ying’s shoulders slumped the emotional stress he built up, coming crashing down onto him.
“hm”
“I guess you finished up your word limit for the next three years I think”
“hm”
Wei Ying barely notices that this one was slightly more amused sounding than the last, because he collapses, knowing that there’s someone waiting to catch him.
Someone he knows that will catch him, and he feels safe enough to let go.
He doesn’t need to be brave, or strong, or kind. For this one will catch him regardless.